Head-mounted display for performing ophthalmic examinations

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to systems and methods for performing eye examinations using an HMD that is able to present an image to each eye individually and then to both eyes simultaneously. Because the HMD, rather than a patient, controls conditions (e.g., glare, brightness) during the examination, test results are more likely to be accurate and reliable. In some embodiments, the HMD employs voice recognition to replicate the conversational exchange that would typically occur between the patient and the ophthalmologist or optometrist. The HMD may also be configured to change the visual environment experienced by the patient during testing. Further yet, the HMD, or another distinct computing system, may be configured to identify abnormal test results in real-time and, in some embodiments, the examination is modified accordingly. For example, tests scheduled to be performed during the examination can be modified or removed and new tests can be added.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A head-mounted display (HMD) for conducting eye examinations, the HMD comprising:
 a frame that rests upon a head of a patient during use; 
 a left optical display surface configured to present digital images to a left eye; 
 a right optical display surface configured to present digital images to a right eye; 
 an image display system that is able to
 visibly present digital images only to the left eye on the left optical display surface while visibly presenting nothing to the right eye on the right optical display surface, 
 visibly present digital images only to the right eye on the right optical display surface while visibly presenting nothing to the left eye on the left optical display surfaces, and 
 visibly present digital images to the left eye and the right eye simultaneously on the left and right optical display surfaces, 
 wherein the frame is designed such that
 nothing can be seen by the right eye when digital images are presented only to the left eye, and 
 nothing can be seen by the left eye when digital images are presented only to the right eye, 
 
 so as to enable examining the left and right eyes individually; 
 
 an audio sensor configured to be able to autonomously record an audible response given by the patient during an eye examination; 
 a speaker configured to be able to autonomously pose an audible question that can be heard by the patient; 
 a speech recognition module configured to be able to autonomously identify one or more relevant keywords within the audible response; and 
 an analysis module configured to be able to autonomously
 compare the one or more relevant keywords to a master set of keywords known to represent a correct response to the audible question, 
 determine that at least one relevant keyword does not match the master set of keywords, and 
 adapt the eye examination in real time in response to the keywords. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The HMD of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to track ambient conditions substantially likely to influence test results acquired during the eye examination. 
 
     
     
       3. The HMD of  claim 2 , wherein the ambient conditions include glare, brightness, humidity, or some combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The HMD of  claim 1 , wherein the patient can select a visual environment that is presented on the left optical display surface, the right optical display surface, or both during some or all of the eye examination. 
     
     
       5. The HMD of  claim 4 , wherein the visual environment is an artificial virtual environment selected by the patient. 
     
     
       6. The HMD of  claim 1 , wherein speaker is configured to pose statements and questions designed to elicit audible responses from the patient. 
     
     
       7. The HMD of  claim 6 , wherein the audible responses specify what is being shown on the left optical display surface or the right optical display surface, a vision problem experienced by the patient, or both. 
     
     
       8. The HMD of  claim 6 , wherein the audio sensor records utterances given by the patient throughout the eye examination. 
     
     
       9. The HMD of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more relevant keywords include
 a term indicative of a potential eye condition, or 
 a term indicative of an incorrect response to the audible question. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The HMD of  claim 9 , wherein the analysis module is further configured to:
 generate a notification indicative of whether the patient passed a given test of the eye examination; 
 store the notification within a memory; and 
 transmit the notification to a remote computing device. 
 
     
     
       11. The HMD of  claim 1 , wherein the eye examination is adapted in real time while one or more tests are being performed. 
     
     
       12. The HMD of  claim 1 , wherein adapting the eye examination includes performing at least one of:
 modifying an existing test scheduled to be performed during the eye examination; 
 removing an existing test scheduled to be performed during the eye examination; and 
 adding a new test to be performed during the eye examination. 
 
     
     
       13. A head-mounted display comprising:
 a frame that rests upon a head of a patient during use; 
 an optical display surface configured to present digital images; 
 an image display system configured to generate digital images for display to the patient; 
 a speaker configured to autonomously pose an audible question that can be heard by the patient; 
 an audio sensor configured to autonomously record an audible response given by the patient during an eye examination; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to autonomously:
 identify one or more relevant keywords within the audible response; 
 determine whether the audible response is indicative of a correct response to the audible question by comparing the one or more relevant keywords to a master set of keywords known to represent the correct response; 
 determine that at least one relevant keyword does not match the master set of keywords; and 
 adapt the eye examination in real time in response to the keywords. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The head-mounted display of  claim 13 , wherein the audible question posed by the speaker includes a recording, a live utterance, or both. 
     
     
       15. The head-mounted display of  claim 13 , wherein the image display system is able to visibly present digital images only to a left eye while visibly presenting nothing to a right eye, only to the right eye while visibly presenting nothing to the left eye, and to both the left eye and the right eye simultaneously, so as to enable examining the left and right eyes individually. 
     
     
       16. The head-mounted display of  claim 13 , wherein the optical display surface is one of multiple optical display surfaces connected to the frame. 
     
     
       17. The head-mounted display of  claim 13 ,
 wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to:
 store the audible response, the at least one relevant keyword, and a summary indicating whether the patient passed the eye examination within a database, 
 wherein the database is remotely accessible by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The head-mounted display of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one relevant keyword is indicative of a possible presence of an eye condition, and wherein adapting the eye examination in real time comprises:
 adding a new test to the eye examination that is designed to reveal whether a symptom of the eye condition is present.